Board of Aldermen 03-08-2022 Page 19
Alderman Thibeault
| mean this was a problem even before Bu’s. It’s not probably strictly for that and Mr. Hudson can certainly attest to what
kind of complaints they were getting before. Obviously it got to a point where they asked me to sponsor this bill.
| just wanted to address something Alderman Comeau said that so we have two sets of apartments - Bluestone and
Louisburg Square. You have Royal Crest, but to Alderwoman Kelly's point, Royal Crest can get out the other way. Now
of course if they’re closer to there, now we’re going to make them go all through the whole Royal Crest to get out. That’s
fine, let them go, we don’t care, right? The other two sets of apartments, you are still talking thousands of people, right.
So now you're going to tell them don’t take the U-turn, go down to the light, we’re going to make your life uncomfortable
so people don’t have to obey the right turn on red law. So let them go right on red. We don’t care. We want the other
people to move all the way down there so why should we inconvenience them for people who are breaking the law
anyway. That’s the part that | don’t get.
Thank you to Alderman Klee and Mr. Hudson for talking about those lanes. There are only two lanes there so what
happens if you’re going to Shaw’s and you’re going straight, you're block every single person that wants to go right
anyway and it backs up that way. | know. | go to CVS and then | go to Shaw’s, so | know sometimes I’m the one blocking
everybody. So | just want to point a few of those things out and thank you.
Alderman Klee
Thank you Madam President. Truthfully | think this was a pre-Bu’s. BJ’s may be exacerbating it but | think it was a pre-
BJ’s issue and | say that because | have used that CVS for a pharmacy. | have done a lot of shopping at Best Buy and |
turn in on that way when | come in the way that I’m coming. | can tell you that | have right turned on red there, and | am
careful, and | am very cautious. You get part way out there and suddenly that person is - because they have the light. |
can't see that they have the light. Everything is paused, the light turns, and there have been some near misses. So to
say that there were no accidents there, if our Public Works is getting complaints, and this is becoming an issue, and
they’ve gone and they’ve looked at it, | feel confident that this is something we should pass and I’m grateful that there will
be other studies being done as more businesses come into there and so on. | think this is a stop gap issue. We can’t ask
all those people - and I’ve been in line multiple cycles to do that turn or to do a U-Turn there. | think it’s something that we
should pass this evening.
Alderman Clemons
| agree with what Alderman Thibeault previously said about the residents who live there. You can’t restrict the U-turn
because we don’t have a viable option for them to go the other way. That’s the problem. This was a problem before Bu’s
and actually was a worse problem before BU’s because in addition to the right turn, the parking lot was also at the same
entrance. So you could have somebody making a left turn into the parking lot and crossing over where you were turning
right. That doesn’t exist anymore. That problem is solved with the new Bu’s gas station. However those that are still
making the U-turn, it is a problem and so | think we need to take deference to the people who live in the neighborhoods
who need to utilize the Daniel Webster Highway and make that U-turn and give them the preferential treatment that they
deserve by living in a neighborhood where unfortunately the only way that they can go north conveniently is to make a U-
turn. They shouldn’t have to do it fighting somebody else coming out of that intersection.
| know that it’s not perfect, it’s not a perfect solution. It certainly — | wish in a perfect world everybody would do the right
thing and we wouldn't have to worry about making laws like this. But unfortunately, | can attest myself to being in close
situations and the fact that there hasn’t been an accident there if that’s the case, we’re lucky. So again, I’m going to vote
in favor of this because I’m giving deference to those who live in the neighborhoods up there.
Alderman Gouveia
Thank you Madam President. | have to agree with Alderman Clemons on this. | kind of sat on the fence. | did vote “yes”
in committee on it, but | do feel for the people who live in the surrounding area taking away that U-turn just isn’t the option
that we really have and I'll be voting “yes” on this. Thank you.
MOTION CARRIED
Ordinance O-22-004 declared duly adopted.
NEW BUSINESS — RESOLUTIONS
